Trust
by victorwonder
Summary: The overall story helps to tie-up some loose ends that we are hinted at by the film's end with Chapter 1 setting the stage. What reason could Cage possibly have had to gather so much detail about his team-mates? What circumstance gave him the idea? Enough questions. Let's find out.
1. The Angel

A/N: Cage time-looped repeatedly with the aim of aiding Rita get off that beach. Their route planned out in great detail, specific and precise always ended in disaster after another. Trial and error was inching them across too slowly. With so many variables to consider, the approach seemed an impossible task.

We know they succeeded eventually as Cage and Rita made it to the farm house. So how did they succeed exactly? This story explores an ALTERNATIVE approach, an iterative interpretation (my version) of what was left 'off-camera' (film-wise)

This one approach met with success, and was the one plan that Cage was glad to have devised as it turned out to be a very critical iteration, gleaming much information through the iterative process of time-looping, helping him to acquire and remember details, both personal and informative, that helped ensure their victory by the end of the film.

I made Cage personally dubbed this as the J-FACTOR - LOL - Hmm, those notes seemed like a good prologue, oh well. Let's call this a missed opportunity. I will time-loop so you guys and gals don't remember these notes ever existed :D

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 1<span>**

"_No matter how carefully we plan, we'll never get off that beach._"

The words repeated in Cage's mind in a dream-like fashion, slowly fading away as he begun to regain consciousness.  
>Cage had enough. Between the deaths from the Mimics on the battlefield and Rita's executions during their training sessions, Cage needed a break. He needed time to clear his thoughts. While his body readjusted itself with every time-reset, his mind was continually being overworked. Cage's physical state was always in top form at the beginning of each time-loop. His sustained injuries and fatigue always disappeared, always starting out fresh. His mind however, was a different story, always retaining every bit of information prior to his countless deaths. The time-loop did not allow his mind to relax for even a second. He decided it was time he took charge of his destiny.<p>

Once again, he awoke around familiar surroundings, rested upon piles of military duffel bags at Heathrow Airport, the military's designated F.O.B. or Forward Operating Base. He wasted no time jumping through the hoops of what had become his time-loop routine; timing movements, minimizing conversations and avoiding unnecessary confrontations.

An hour after his initial introduction to J-Squad, Master Sergeant Farrell always led the group in their daily P.T. - a military acronym for Physical Training. Cage always used this opportunity to escape and separate from the group in order to find Rita, now fully aware of her location, just one of numerous information embedded in his memory acquired from his time-resets. Upon reaching the training facility, he found himself mentally psyching himself to be more assertive, to not allow Rita to sway every decision of their battle-plan, as he made his way to her location. As always, Rita was in the middle of training, always in that familiar position of intense concentration, which Cage had become so accustomed to by now.

Cage approached the training block with confident strides, a plan playing through his head in how to speed up their re-introduction. Cage crossed the red-line that was marked on the floor with the words, 'do not cross.' Sidestepping and weaving his way towards Rita, he avoided the attacks of the robotic assailants that were used for combat training, their mechanical design mirroring the likeness of the Mimics, the alien threat the world was facing. Rita looked astounded and bewildered. She had never seen such defensive maneuvers being executed with such effortless precision. As Cage reached Rita, he held up his right hand towards her with his palm wide open, signaling for silence but Rita ignored his indicative intent.

"Who said ... " Rita began as Cage interrupted her familiar dialogue by placing his index finger on her lips.

Rita instinctively reacted, brushing Cage's hand away and looking very annoyed.

"Listen Rita," Cage casually addressed assertively, following up with a string of sentences.  
>"William Cage. I'm you at Verdun. You lost the power. Now I have it. You trained me. I'm ready. Your Jacket's left shoulder-cannon rotor gets jammed. Get Dr Carter to take a look at that. Tell him he's a genius. He loves that. Meet you both at the Hall of Justice in a couple of hours," Cage completed, winking at Rita.<p>

Upon seeing Cage's smile of amusement, Rita knew he was telling the truth. The smile was an indication to her that Cage also knew about the obvious goofiness of Dr Carter's codename for their usual meeting place, the Weapons Repair Room, where they privately discuss their crazy theories and plans, upon Carter's insistence, for secrecy. "The Hall of Justice," Cage thought to himself as he smiled and recalled a particular time-repeat when he invited Dr Carter for a drink and became drinking buddies, talking about theories, time travel, life, superheroes, women and The Angel of Verdun, the latter topic being Cage's primary interest. As Cage's amused expression faded and replaced with seriousness, he started to leave with haste.

"Wait," Rita shouted.  
>"They know we're coming. Tomorrow is a slaughter. We can't get off that beach," Cage responded.<br>"We have to talk," Rita ordered.  
>"We will. Look, you took charge of your destiny at Verdun, allow me the chance to do the same," Cage replied as he started to leave.<br>"I need you to trust me," Cage shouted out as he continued his way out of the training block.

Rita felt an aura of confidence within Cage, a familiar feeling she once had and could relate to, which reassured her.

_**TO BE CONTINUED**_

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><p>AN: I've finished the next three chapters but I'm still proof-reading'em, trying to seal off plot holes and inconsistencies, which I realized had so many upon re-reads. I'll have'em up once I'm past my self-criticism stage.

DISCLAIMER: I thought maybe I should add this because well, life in general can throw you a curve ball, even when you think you're just having fun and think you're not deliberately hurting anyone.

The characters and story premise are not my original works. I saw the film, loved it and created a derivative interpretation with how I related to the characters, their motivations, their relationships and their actions, using the existing backdrop of the film's story premise. This film has a lot of opportunities for writing, stories that "fill in the blanks," so to speak. I think it's a great fandom for fanfic authors for that reason alone.

The term "Hall of Justice" is the fictional headquarters of the Super Friends, which has been incorporated into the DC Comics main shared universe as the new headquarters of the Justice League (according to wikipedia, which I am quoting, not plagiarizing :p)

This disclaimer applies to this and all following chapters. And oh, what the hell, may as well apply it to my other two stories that been made publicly accessible here in FFNET because I'm lazy to edit.

I'm just a normal person with a writer's itch who wants to write stories. Please don't sue me. I'm only rich in imagination.


	2. The Master Sergeant

**Chapter 2**

"_Battle is the great redeemer. It is the fiery crucible in which the only true heroes are forged._"

Master Sergeant Farrell's words echoed in Cage's thoughts. The speech had become very familiar to him. It seemed to be the only words he cared to remember the most every time they met for the first time whenever he time-looped. Training with Rita had given him a new appreciation for Sergeant Farrell's words of wisdom. He had come to respect the man, so different a view from when he had his very first encounter with Farrell that seemed so long ago now due to the repetitious longevity of his time-loops. Cage had gained an understanding of a soldier's mindset of dedication and duty, concepts that were once alien in his past life, prior to his inheritance of power and responsibility. Cage had come to accept his time-loop ability as both a gift and a curse. He had learnt to balance the two extremes in order to keep his sanity.

As Cage made his way back to the barracks, he was intercepted by the very man he was trying to escape from earlier, Master Sergeant Farrell. The Sergeant had always displayed a pleasant disposition to the unwary, a tactic that has always served him well when dealing with new recruits but this time, he displayed an unfavorable mood, no such friendly pretense towards the now, familiarized recruit, Private William Cage.

"Where the hell have you been?" Farrell asked, displeased.  
>"I'm sorry sir," Cage replied apologetically.<br>"I don't know what came over me. It won't happen again sir," Cage assured in earnest.

Cage's numerous time-repeats had transformed his personality and battle competency for the better, influenced by Rita's noble and commanding presence. Rita's sense of honor and duty had made Cage assess his own moral compass and being around Rita had made him want to change his self-important priorities, constantly worrying about his self-preservation, always prioritizing his own needs over others.

Cage stood rigidly straight, fists closed and hands straight by his side, an erected stance that attempted to display his respectful and disciplined attitude, showing an eager and willing focus that were expected with obedient behaviour. Cage wanted to prove to this man that he had been falsely accused, that Farrell's preconceived notions based on false information were misdirected, not deserving of such unpleasant criticism. Cage knew there was nothing he could do to change Farrell's mind but always tried nonetheless, an effort given but always in vain and this time was no different as Sergeant Farrell stared with confusion and uncertainty. Cage always rationalized the wrong that had been done to him, knowing full well that what brought him there in the first place was the result of his own wrong-doing. Cage prepared himself for the familiar question that was about to be asked, trying to formulate a new answer that would satisfy this strict, military disciplinarian.

"Are you playing with me, son?" Farrell questioned.  
>"No sir!" Cage answered out loud, affirming his words by shaking his head.<p>

The words felt empty and unremarkable, the only answer he could come up with time and again.

"There is no escaping your fate, Cage," Farrell shouted, drilling the words into Cage's mind.

Cage couldn't help but smile at the irony of Sergeant Farrell's words.

"This is no laughing matter, soldier," Farrell continued.  
>"No sir! Great redeemer, fiery crucible, got it!" Cage replied, repeating parts of Sergeant Farrell's earlier motivational speech in point form.<br>"We are fighting for our survival Cage, defending our very existence," Farrell lectured.  
>"You are one of us ..." Farrell asserted, pausing mid-sentence.<br>"... God help us," Farrell continued with a sigh as he rolled his eyes, annoyed by the truth of his own statement, that Cage was indeed one of them.  
>"Permission to speak freely, sir?" Cage respectfully asked, now respecting rank etiquette, wanting to speak his mind.<br>"Very well Private, let's hear it," Farrell responded, amused with curiosity.  
>"I am many things but a deserter, I am not sir," Cage stated.<br>"I wish I could make you understand but your mind is already made up," Cage continued.  
>"If through battle is the only way I can gain your trust, then so be it. Tomorrow can't come soon enough," Cage stated with bravado.<br>"You have a slick tongue, Cage," Farrell said with a mildly amused chuckle.  
>"As you were," Farrell ordered, ending their conversation.<br>"Let's see how that mouth of yours fares with your team-mates. Now get in there and join J-Squad," Farrell ordered harshly.

Cage remembered the first time he was introduced to his team-mates. "_This here is Private Cage. Private Cage, J Squad,_" Cage recalled Farrell's team introduction. Farrell's words were more than just an introductory line. It also served as the beginning for Cage's road to deliverance and J Squad's delegated responsibility, a plan devised by Farrell to unite them as a cohesive fighting unit or at the very least, keep them busy long enough to keep them out of trouble until tomorrow's inevitable battle.

Upon first impressions, J Squad looked like a bunch of degenerates or convicts, seemingly like they were the lowly members of the army, a real mismatch of personalities from all over the world. From the look of them, the idea of going into battle with these people were going to be very interesting; the possibilities of opposite extremes being the underestimated potential of such a group to cause chaos and destruction upon their extra-terrestrial foes, comparable to a gang of hoodlums creating havoc and mayhem within their so-called territories, or the group just becoming extra targets to keep the enemy distracted from the real heroes of the battlefield, unable to unify as a team and overcome their differences to balance each other's strengths and weaknesses. Whatever their path turned out to be, Cage did not have much of a choice. He was stuck with the team and it was time to face them.

Cage knew he was in for a rough time as there was no talking his way out of this one. Explaining his situation would only make things worse, coming out as either a crazy person or a liar. Cage concentrated on his plan and focused on the task at hand, blocking out all distractions from his mind, searching for a place of tranquility.

"_She has to believe me,_" he thought to himself as he relayed his plan in his mind.

_**TO BE CONTINUED**_


	3. Just One Of The Guys

**Chapter 3**

"_Private Cage thinks he doesn't belong here. We must dissuade him of this delusion._"

Master Sergeant Farrell's intent was very clear the first time Cage heard those words spoken. Cage was here for one reason; to fulfill his military obligation. He was being given a second chance, one of redemption, but Cage did not see it that way. To him, he only saw injustice. False accusations against his name was made. 'Railroaded' was Cage's descriptive choice, the accusation being one of desertion; not fulfilling his contractual role by abandoning all responsibility, preferring self-preservation, which most, if not all in the military considered a cowardly act. Farrell had given J-Squad the task of keeping him in line. They were his support group. To all concerned, Cage was a man in denial and J-Squad was there to help him realize it, with Farrell giving them free rein in how to carry out the task.

Every time Cage had to repeatedly find Rita, his team-mates, J-Squad, had always taken a back seat for the greater good. Everything he did that met with Farrell's disapproval always ricocheted towards the team in the form of military disciplinary punishment, usually in some form of extra physical activity such as push-ups or running laps, and for that reason on top of the false accusation of being a deserter was always met with unwelcome and aggressive tendencies from his team-mates.

Cage made his way inside the barracks as he avoided Farrell's disapproving glare. As he neared the J-Squad sleeping quarters, he immediately stopped in his tracks. His team-mates had formed a wall, standing side-by-side, barricading the entrance to their room. Cage took a deep breath and walked on steadily, braving the disapproving stares and body language of his team-mates. As Cage made his way inside, the soldiers slowly parted to let him in as one of them closed the curtains behind him. The sound of the curtains sliding shut indicated to Cage that his team-mates now had privacy to be his judge, jury and executioner. Cage turned around to face them, staring each of them in the eyes. Cage knew what was about to happen. There was no convincing this bunch, at least not at this point in time. There was no plea option of either innocent or guilty. The verdict was always the same. GUILTY. And he knew the sentence that was going to follow; the punishment the group intended to use. Cage knew it wasn't to make him see the error of his ways. It was purely out of revenge to make the group feel in control - to let him know that he was the cause of how miserable J-Squad's day was turning out to be. Today, Cage decided let it play out, not to struggle and let the inevitable happen as he had a new plan in mind.

"Skinner ... Kimmel ... Griff ... Ford ... Kuntz ... Nance," Cage addressed each of them.  
>"All I wanna say is, I'm sorry," Cage stated apologetically.<br>"That's it! Okay, let's get this over with," Cage surrendered.

Cage was bound and gagged for an entire hour before the group released him from the group-imposed punishment. He couldn't count the number of times he's had to go through this stage of his time-loops. The first time he struggled, he received an accidental, but painful bump on the head. The next was met with a timely head-butt that delayed his training with Rita. The following had him gagged with Kimmel's under shorts for saying something inappropriate about his mother, not an experience he ever want repeated, EVER. Every loop always led to something new, while avoiding words or actions on his part that could lead to something unpleasant that he has experienced in earlier time-loops. He was glad to have found one outcome that ended fairly uneventful and all he had to do was nothing.

"Okay Cage, J-Squad is scheduled for training in an hour. Don't pull a disappearing act again," Skinner barked.

Cage knew Skinner had always disliked him from the first moment they met and Cage had learnt to stay on his good side in each subsequent time-loop.

"Look Cage, we're a team. There aint no 'I' in team," Nance advised.

Cage looked at Nance with a smile. He had gotten to know her very well due to the time-repeats. He had gotten to know every member of J-Squad very well. Knowledge was the key to his new plan. He used every opportunity to engage each member of J-Squad to earn their trust and confide in him, using his time-loop experience to his advantage. He routinely singled out one team-mate at a time, learning as much as possible, before going off to train with Rita, honing his battle prowess, tolerating and enduring all the pain of broken bones and damaged muscles in order to gain the most experience and knowledge with each time-reset before Rita's decisive executions to repeat the day over again.

His daily repeat routine had changed the day he decided to put his new strategy in motion; information gathering, battle training and finally, death. The sound of Rita's sidearm reloading and the imminent thunderous boom that followed always left Cage with that "_Oh Come'on_" feeling; a want to stay in the here and now for a bit longer, a desire to stay in the moment that much more, a need to be in Rita's memory for another extended second. The feeling of being forgotten had never become easier but at least now, he had a more focused perspective. The gunshot became synonymous with the sound of a starting pistol being fired such as those used in competitive racing events, a signal that indicated the race had begun, with Cage racing against time itself.

At the present time, Cage had gained enough repeated experiences and had learnt much of J-Squad. He knew Nance liked him. Nance had hidden that part of herself very well. She always displayed very little interest, always nonchalant in her interactions, an act she performed very convincingly. Rarely did she show any action or behaviour that her team-mates could misinterpret as girlish under that gruff and outspoken exterior. She was always wary how she interacted with Cage, especially around the men, always self-conscious about showing any sign that could be misconstrued as girlish infatuation.

The group started to leave the sleeping quarters. Nance delayed her departure, pretending to collect some personal items. Before leaving Cage's sight, Nance turned around and spoke while making sure the group was not within ear-shot.

"We're off to the mess hall, you're welcome to join us," Nance invited.  
>"Thanks, I think I'm gonna stay here for now. I'm not used to being tied up and gagged," Cage replied.<br>"Yeah, well, that's kinda your fault," Nance reasoned.  
>"Yep, I guess so. Look, I really am sorry," Cage said apologetically.<br>"Not thinkin' of runnin' again, are ya?" Nance queried with suspicion.  
>"Nuh uh," Cage shook his head.<p>

Cage looked at Nance and sensed a little sympathy from her. Cage could never understand why since soldiers labelled as deserters and cowards were always given very little respect and never given any benefit of the doubt.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" Cage asked Nance.  
>"I'm kinda hungry," Nance replied.<br>"I'm not a deserter but everyone believes it, which makes me the scum of the earth to them," Cage said.  
>"Yeah, well, aint really good for their health to be fightin' alongside someone not dependable," Nance replied.<br>"Yes, if it were true, but I swear to you, I'm not lying. I know there's a part of you that believes that," Cage pleaded.  
>"I don't know why but I know you do," Cage continued.<p>

Nance stared at Cage with uncertainty. Cage proceeded to convince Nance of his situation. Nance took one final glance out of their sleeping quarters before taking a seat opposite Cage. She listened and nodded in key with Cage's ramblings, feigning interest and soon, the two began to converse. As Cage kept talking however, her disinterest started to dwindle as her curiosity took over. She started to feel a connection with him, almost like they could have been friends in another life, maybe even more. How could he know so much about her? It intrigued and confused her.

"This is going to sound ridiculous but keep an open mind," Cage said.

From Cage's point of view, he continued to relate the events that had happened already and that it will happen again in the same fashion. He revealed that he was repeating the same day over and over and that he has made many attempts at changing the outcomes of his future, and by extension, the future of Nance, J-Squad, Farrell, Carter, Rita and all of humanity. He proceeded to tell the story of how tomorrow's battle was going to turn out for the worst. Cage relayed every detail he knew about her and their team-mates. Nance could not believe what she was hearing. It was impossible. Nance fired question after question, trying to poke holes in Cage's story and most of the answers she heard were unerringly accurate and when Cage didn't know, were very convincingly reasoned, stating that there are an infinite number of questions yet unexplored, gaining more and more information with each subsequent time-reset.

"I need you to believe me," Cage pleaded.  
>"You have this inexplicable charm the others seem to respond to," Cage explained.<br>"Don't know whether to take that as a compliment," Nance responded in jest.

Nance's joking reply made Cage smile as he rarely ever saw her display her wit and intelligence, a quality Nance rarely displayed and barely even noticed by the team. She covered her intelligent charm with her brutish and fouled mouthed charisma. For all its rare occurrence, Cage appreciated every second he saw a glimpse of Nance's true heart mingled in all her toughened persona.

"We can change our future, Nance" Cage stated with optimism.

Nance found herself caught in Cage's optimism and was distracted momentarily, deviating from the focus of the conversation.

"So? I'm just one of the guys huh?" Nance remarked.  
>"Well, they think so," Cage jested, referring to their team-mates.<br>"But I know you better than most," Cage flirted unintentionally.

Nance smiled at Cage's statement.

"Even if I can convince them, what makes you think they'll follow you?" Nance questioned.  
>"They won't," Cage answered.<br>"_But her,_" Cage thought to himself as he smiled at Nance, filled of hope.

_**TO BE CONTINUED**_

A/N: Dangnabbit, I wasn't planning on making a complicated story but this one seems to be heading in that direction LOL

Side note: Free rein or free reign?  
>I use rein, freedom to act on one's own authority, which I think derived from equestrian terminology. I tried reign on FFNET checker and it suggestedcorrected to rein anyway :D  
>Reign does make sense as well, I suppose. Freedom of control as opposed to restrictedlimited control.  
>Anyway, just thinking out loud or printing out my thoughts - literal accuracy FTW :p<br>I hated that "FTW" acronym for a very long time but it's kinda grown on me, but I digress :)


	4. J Squad

A/N: Just a little warning. If your profanity senses are tingling, it's probably because you're within close proximity of William Cage having "one of those days" :p  
>Joking aside, ONE F-bomb was dropped in the story; added for a little dose of reality for our unwitting hero. I'm planning on using some unseemly words as the story progresses, and I'm just testing the waters at the moment, so to speak.<p>

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><p><span><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

"_I think there's something wrong with your suit - there's a dead man in it!_"

Cage suited up in his battle Jacket, an exoskeleton battle armor capable of enhancing the wearer's strength and agility, while boasting an amazing array of firepower. Griff was by his side, aiding him for battle readiness. Cage proceeded to check and recheck everything. He made sure he had everything he needed, being limited only by the capacity he could carry. He reacquainted himself with the suit's functionalities, ensured its powercells at maximum charge and tested its operational efficiency. He knew everything was in working order as nothing in this instance ever changed. This point in time remained the same as in previous time-loops, just one of those many unchanged status quo that didn't really warrant any direct intervention. Checking everything possible became an instinctive reaction every time he donned his suit, a routine that created an illusion of control which made him feel at ease - comfortable and relaxed.

"I take it you've been in one of these before?" Griff queried in jest, impressed by Cage's proficient display.  
>"I've had time to practice," Cage replied, smiling at the understatement.<br>"Well, you 'seem' to know what you're doing," Griff returned, stating the obvious with a sense of humor.  
>"Don't worry, you'll get your chance to be with two girls at the same time," Cage joked.<p>

Griff stared at Cage with amusement, amazed by his ability to foretell the future, almost as if he was reading his mind.

"I guess I don't have to tell you where the safety is," Griff stated as he left Cage to assist his other team-mates.

There was a time when Cage knew nothing about how to operate his Jacket, a time when he couldn't even figure out how to release its safety. Cage scanned the room, noting the expression on each of his team-mates. Cage noted the positive exchanges in J Squad's interactions, a slight variation of events unfolding as compared to previous time-repeats. At the same time, he also noticed familiar exchanges, now convinced was J Squad's inherent group personality, finding camaraderie in their dysfunction, remaining consistently predictable every time Cage time-looped. It seemed that as the old saying goes, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

"Oh for Christ's sake Kimmel," Nance complained.  
>"I gotta be free man," Kimmel retorted.<p>

Caged couldn't help but smile at their familiar exchange. For all the grim and dark roads that Cage had traveled upon, the temporary amusement he found in simple, inconsequential things helped to relax him, a small time-out from his stressful responsibility; a burden he inherited by chance and a burden he continued by choice due to Rita Vrataski's influential presence as he started to care for the well-being of others. Cage had no idea how far he had traveled through his metaphorical, infinite highway and the idea of his situation continuing on forever was taking a toll on his spirit, but always finding a reason to carry on, the biggest reason being the Angel of Verdun, Rita Vrataski, as he developed a closeness he never intended. The familiarity of J Squad's humorous dysfunction created levity in Cage's unusual situation, a distraction he fully embraced that helped to lessen the sense of hopelessness he felt at times. This time, he sensed progress, his hopefulness elevated. Everything seemed to be going as planned.

Farrell ordered his troops to make their final checks. Cage looked at Nance with a stoic smile as he programmed his battle suit to extend out its shoulder armaments and take aim, a symbolic gesture to indicate that he is ready for the battle ahead. Nance made a similar gesture of readiness. "_Lock and load,_" Cage whispered in his mind as he detached his battle Jacket's support harness and stepped out of his armory station. He walked towards Nance, his pace steady and gaze lowered.

"I see you've had plenty of practice," Nance jested.  
>"This aint just showmanship y'know?" Cage deadpanned, mimicking Nance's accent.<br>"I don't know about this," Nance replied, a tone of doubt lingering in her voice.  
>"Just remember, play along," Cage said.<br>"What? Then you pretend to save us?" Nance mocked.  
>"I don't have to, we all die today Nance, we're here to change that. Trust me, I wish there was another way," Cage explained.<br>"You guys are gonna help me win him over," Cage stated with confidence.

J Squad started organizing themselves in formation, ready to depart. The group steadily marched out and headed towards the dropship in waiting. J Squad entered the ship and attached their Jackets to the passenger cradles that lined the ship's cabin interior.

As the ship's engines roared, the cabin started to shake. The sensation of being rocked by the vibrations of the dropship taking-off gave J Squad a sense of exhilaration and excitement. It gave them a sense of self-control, which helped to strengthen their bond as a team as they shared jokes and playful banter. It kept themselves distracted in order to help quell their nervousness and fear of the notion of facing a massive force of the alien invaders; a final confrontation to sway the tide of the war effort in humanity's favor. J Squad was about to take part in the first wave, soldiers who were chosen to take the brunt of the assault - the expendable front-line force, a necessary battle strategy for the large-scale conflict that was about to take place.

Cage scanned the faces of his team-mates. They never made much of a good first impression to him but that all faded away as he started to get to know each of them and realized he belonged, a misfit amongst misfits.

"We are not cannon fodder," he spoke, his words drowned by the ambient sounds of the dropship in flight. His team-mates stared in confusion, unable to hear above all the surrounding noises but it didn't matter to him. He knew what he said and was determined to change their fate for the better. His team-mates were not returning home in body-bags. He, along with his team were all going to see this through to the end or die trying.

As the dropship neared its destination, Farrell started a motivational pre-battle speech. Cage knew the dropship was going to explode any moment but this did not trouble him as he knew all of its crew and passengers were going to survive the crash landing. With each subsequent time-loop, he had found no way of preventing this event from occurring. At present, he made a conscious decision of accepting the next best solution, which was to let the ship crash. Farrell and J Squad always managed to land on the beach and fight on. As for the pilots, they always managed to eject themselves in time and chute down in relative safety, discovering upon previous time-repeats where they landed and that they only suffered minor injuries.

"Remember there is no courage without fear," Farrell yelled out. The rest of his speech went unnoticed, Cage focused on executing his plan.

"I think there's something wrong with your suit - there's a dead man in it," Skinner joked.  
>"Watch your back out there sir," Ford followed up.<br>"No one else will," Nance continued.

Cage noticed a change in their demeanor respectively, upon hearing their familiar dialogue. Their words were not directed as ridicule but had an overtone of friendly jest. While their dialogue remained accurately familiar, his interaction with J Squad had changed the intent of their words. Cage had worked hard to gain their trust in such a short span of time and it seemed to have paid off. The ship was going to be hit at any moment and J Squad was on high-alert, readying themselves for the explosive impact. It was finally time to put their plan in motion.

"I'll see you all down there," Cage shouted out with an encouraging tone.

The dropship was hit, a loud explosion bursting through the cabin. Farrell, startled momentarily, regained his composure, and started to order his troops to drop. The dropship swirled uncontrollably in the sky as J Squad released their cradle straps, dropping one by one down to the beach.

"I said drop Cage," Farrell ordered.  
>"Time for my baptism, sir," Cage shouted with final intent.<p>

Cage unstrapped and started falling, using a connective line to control his descent with ease, a skill he had learnt to master. Using the Jacket's strength-enhancing properties, Cage propelled himself in an upward arc as he neared the descent-line's length limit, reducing his acceleration momentarily. As he neared the ground, Cage positioned his legs downwards while programming the suit to adjust necessary systems for imminent impact.

"Brace support activated. Shock absorbers aligned at maximum efficiency," the Jacket's voice-prompt generated.  
>"Rock ..." Cage started his battle-cry.<p>

Cage landed on the beach in an initial upright position, the force of his landing moving his body slowly into a crouching position. The battle Jacket's frame supported his fall and his personal armor cushioned his body from the impact; the armor lined with a special fabric that was engineered to be as light as a feather and as strong as steel, an implemented design specification Cage was thankful for.

"... and roll," Cage completed his battle-cry, as he positioned himself to roll under a Mimic that propelled itself into the air to attack Cage.

Cage extended a bayonet that he earlier, personally attached to his Jacket's left arm, slicing the alien creature in half as he continued his rolling motion. Fully aware of his Jacket's combat capabilities and lack thereof in other areas, Cage managed to customize his grunt Jacket, the basic form of the exoskeleton armor that were assigned to new recruits. It helped to be acquainted with a weapons repair specialist in the form of Dr. Carter and took full advantage of his expertise. Cage was now armed to the teeth, a sight Farrell approved of, dismissing the thought of how it was accomplished, as Farrell knew this upcoming battle was going to be a brutal firefight and most likely a short-lived endeavor. Cage, along with his Angel, who was also retrofitted with personalized armaments, was ready, now more than ever.

"Come'on Rita," Cage whispered under his deep, tired breaths.  
>"Let's get off this fuckin' beach," he grumbled as he powered onwards, eager to find his girl.<p>

**_TO BE CONTINUED_**

* * *

><p>AN: If you are confused and you think you have missed a chapter, you have not. This is intentional on my part and event skipping will hopefully keep the readers on their toes, so to speak, or should that be "on their fingers?" :p  
>It worked for the movie, don't see any reason why it can't work for this story :)<br>All will be unraveled soon ...  
>... erm ... hopefully LOL<p> 


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